Linda Holmes

On a recent steamy holiday weekend, customers at a discount grocery store in Evanston loaded their carts with bags of chips, boxes of cookies, 2-liter soda bottles and jugs of fruit punch, among other items, then paid for it all with food stamp credit.

Although some might be surprised to see "nutrition assistance" dollars going to buy food with little nutritional value, it's perfectly legal under federal rules.

Some politicians and health advocates want that to change, saying restricting food stamp purchases to healthier items would encourage better diets, reduce health care costs and make better use of precious tax dollars.

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On a recent steamy holiday weekend, customers at a discount grocery store in Evanston loaded their carts with bags of chips, boxes of cookies, 2-liter soda bottles and jugs of fruit punch, among other items, then paid for it all with food stamp credit.
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